Red Hood and the Outlaws (Vol 1) 4
:"They so don't make ancient evil like they used to." -- Arsenal Appearances Featured Characters: *Red Hood *Arsenal *Starfire Supporting Characters: *All Caste (mentioned only) Villians: *The Untitled *Crux Locations: *Colorado :*Middleton *Chamber of All *Scotland :*Edinburgh (flashback only) Items: *Tamaranean Transsubstantiator *Trick Arrows Synopsis Despite his being a recovering alcoholic (and sponsored by Killer Croc, no less), Roy Harper is in a bar, working as backup for his only friend, Jason Todd. Jason, however, has attracted some unwanted attention from the man whose girl he is flirting with. In a matter of seconds, Jason beats up the man and his friends, sending them to the floor, squirming in pain. Before they can leave the bar, they are stopped by a local police officer, who demands that they accompany her "downtown". From above, Starfire watches, pondering her strange attachment to the two unstable human men. Though she is proud, she does not walk beside them now because of the attention she draws as a Tamaranean. Unexpectedly, something swipes at her and tosses her into a frozen lake. She emerges to see a green, winged creature who has apparently been searching for her for some time. He introduces himself as Crux, and reveals xenophobic tendencies, for which Starfire has little tolerance, punching him hard in the chest. At the police station, Roy waits outside while Jason steals the officer's gun and puts it to her head. He demands information that might lead to the whereabouts of one member of the ancient race known as the Untitled. He suggests that it might be a prominent local figure before he realizes that she could be the one he's looking for. He is too late, of course, as she thrusts her arm through his back, immobilizing him. She asks why he would have come to find her when the Untitled and the All-Caste have had a truce for one hundred years. He responds that he has come because they broke the truce. Regardless, she promises to remove his liver in a very painful manner. Before she can, however, several of Roy's arrows pierce her through the head. She shrugs it off, reminding him that only copper can harm her. His distraction proves successful anyway, as he knows about the copper, and uses the opportunity to fire a copper tipped arrow through her head. Crux reveals his origin. He had been the teen son of two prominent and successful scientists, but when a Tamaranean war cruiser crashed into the road in front of their car, only he survived the accident. He used his parents' legacies to further his research in alien life-forms and he far surpassed their efforts. Using alien DNA, he has turned himself into a weapon against them. As the Untitled's head begins to reconstitute itself, Jason and Roy decide that their best option at the moment is to run away. Roy overhears the noise of Starfire's battle with Crux and suggests that they help her, but Jason can't leave his target to stay behind in this town. Reluctantly, Roy goes on without Jason. Nearby, Starfire is surprised to find that despite his physical inferiority to her strength, Crux has outwitted her by using a Tamaranean Transubstantiator against her. Crux approaches Starfire's fallen body in the snow, and pleased, he informs her that she has been rendered essentially human by the device. Facing his prey, Jason drops his pistols and changes them for some mystical swords, preparing for battle. Collection *Red Hood and The Outlaws (Volume 1) Category:Red Hood and The Outlaws (Vol 1)